Apparatus for developing photographic films



Oct. 22, 1940. I s 1 R 2,218,727

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHQTOGRAPHIC FILMS I Filed March 1, 193B 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ii ysdazmmzikfi WWW 6W1:

ATTORNEY Oct. 22, 1940. H s rrH, JR 2,218,727

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS Filed March 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, 1940 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTO- GRAPHIC FILMS Hinsdale Smith, JL, New York, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1938, Serial No. 193,223

5 Claims.

This device relates to a new and improved apparatus for developing photographic films and particularly so-called photographic cut films and films from film packs. I

Films used in film packs present particular difficulties in developing and fixing. This is true because each image is fixed on an individual light sensitive film. The films, as used in photography, generally have a piece of substantially light impervious paper covering the photosensitive emulsion on one side of the film. Theother side of the film usually has a light absorbing substance thereon which prevents reflection of rays passing through the film, thus avoiding halation. These films are generally put up in packs of twelve. Thus, when images have been received on each film, twelve individual films must be developed.

In placing these films in a developing bath they must be handled in a dark room. Also, in transferring to a fixing bath they must not be exposed to light. Tanks have been devised into which the films may be placed and the developing, fixing and washing carried on there without any transfer. However, these tanks have generally been large and the cut film holder therein difficult to load in the dark. Others have been easier to load, but could not have the developing solution removed and replaced by a fixed and subsequently by a washer except in a dark room. Moreover such cut film holders and tanks have not permitted sufficient circulation of the various liquors to permit rapid developing of the film and removal of the light absorbing coating on the back of the film. Furthermore, the out film holders and tanks have been difiicult to load without scratching the film. The cut film holders previously used to accommodate the filmshave been large and cumbersome necessitating the waste of a large portion of the developing and fixing bath.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties by providing a cut film holder which is compact and may be adjusted for difierent sizes of films.

In addition, the cut film holder on which the films are placed for development is so constructed that it may be readily loaded in the dark.

Another feature of this invention is that the cut film holder is so constructed that only the edges of the film, where there is no image, can contact any parts thereof thus avoiding the possibility 'of scratching the films.

Furthermore, the cut film holder is so constructed that the various liquorsmay freely circulate thereabout and therethrough and readily contact all parts of the film where needed.

Various other features and advantages of the invention willbe apparent from the following "5 particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings.

While reference in the specification and claims may be made to developing films it is to be understood that this shall embrace and include devel- 10 oping, fixing and washing as generally understood in the art to prepart a photographic negative for printing.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be 15 particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in go connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a cut film holder formed in accordance with the invention, the cut film holder being shown in association with a developing tank, the tank being shown in vertical cross-section;

Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section through the cut film holder taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken through the cut film holder on'the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the cut film holder;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the cut film holder and illustrating particularly the cooperation between a film and, the guide portions of the cut film holder; and 7 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the cut film holder illustrating the cooperation between the entering edge of the film and the guide portions of the cut film holder, taken along line 8-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the' drawings, l represents generally the cut film holder which is adapted to hold films for developing, fixing and washing. This cut film holder may comprise end plates 2 and 9 connected by desirable means such as a plurality of posts 6 and 26. The end plate 2 has spiral channel guides 3 thereon and may have holes 4 therein to facilitate circulation of the developing, fixing and washing liquor, or any of them. This plate may have a central opening 5 therein which in addition to aiding in the circulation of the various liquors may be used as a --may have afllxed thereto intermediate their ends additional spiral guide members I secured thereto as at 8 and 28 respectively.

The posts 5 and are preferably adapted to be releasably held by the plate 9 which has on its under face spiral channel guide members III which are preferably in juxtaposition with the spiral channel guide members 3 on the plate 2. This plate 9 may also be provided with holes corresponding to the small holes in the plate 2 which permit free circulation and may also have a central opening I 2 therein for the same purposes as the opening 5 in the plate 2.

The posts 6 and 26 may pass respectively through openings l3 and 33 in the plate 9 and the portions H! of posts 6 which pass through the plate 9 may be held by means such as the" adjustable ring l4 provided with cam surfaces H which abut against one or more of the portions |8 of the posts 6 which project above the plate 9.

The adjustable ring l4 may be rotatably mounted on the plate 9 and releasably held by screws [5 passing through slots IS in the adjustable ring M. The screws l5 preferably have enlarged heads 29 overlying the slots It so that they will bear against the adjustable ring ll. Thus it may be seen that by releasing the screws 5, the ring Il may be rotated so that it does not hold the top portions l8 of the posts 6 and the plate 9 can be adjusted to take varying widths of film. Conversely by rotating the ad justable ring in the opposite direction the cam surfaces I! may be brought to bear against the portions l8 of the posts 6 and the plate 9 is thus held in proper spaced relation to the plate 2. The spiral guides 3 and I0 may be projected from any desired point but they should prefer-- ably emanate from circles which as shown here define the opening 5 and the opening |2 in the respective end plates. The spirals begin at equally spaced points on the periphery of these circles and are carried out to the periphery and 35 of the plates 2 and 9 respectively. It can thus be seen that a. maximum number of retain-,- ing members for films with a maximum length may be formed in the minimum of space with the greatest possible distance between the films in comparison with the spaceoccupied by the entire cut film holder.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the spiral channel guides 3 and similarly III are so formed that they terminate at their outer end, intermediate the posts 6. These channel members are designed to guide a film l9 when being loaded in the cut filmholder I. By having the channels 3 and III with their walls 31 and 38 respectively terminate intermediate the posts 6, the film will be prevented from contacting the posts. The other end of the channels 3 and Ill preferably terminate with abutments 39 and II respectively, thus preventing the film l9 from entering the openings 5 and I2. r

The spiral guides I as is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are either projected outwardly from equally spaced points onthe peripheries of the inner or outer circles defining the openings 5 and I2 in the end plates 2 and 9 or inwardly from the peripheries 35 and 35 of the end plates 2 and 9 respectively and have a different point. of projection but a similar curvature to the spirals 3 other.

and i9 and thus by the cooperation of the channel guides 3 and III with the guide members I, the film is so flexed that its face is kept from contacting the guide members 1 except along its leading edge and at the same time is prevented from buckling.

This cut film holder may be used in any type of developing tank but is particularly adapted for use in a tank of the type shown herein which 'is disclosed in my Letters Patent No. 2,073,978,

issued March 16, 1937.

Such a tank 2| comprises generally a bottom 22, main body portion sides 23, a terraciform detachable cover having shoulders 25 and 21 thereon and an opening 29 therein having an annulus 30 thereabout with a plate 2| subjacent the cover 24 and extending substantially to the periphery of the cover and disposed at a slight distance from the cover. Mounted on the plate 3| in such position as to extend substantially across the opening 29 within the annulus 3'0 may be a dividing wall 32. A closure member 4| may be provided for the opening 29. Thus when the cover 24 is placed on the tank 2| light will be excluded from the tank.

In operation the cut film holder is preferably loaded in a dark room. A film I9 is inserted within the channel guide members 3 and I0. As

the film is pushed forward the entering edge thereof will tend to buckle and will thus strike an intermediate guide member 1 which will prevent further buckling. The guide members 1 are preferably so designed that they lie between a projection of the guide members 3 and I0. Thus the film will be prevented from buckling and only the entering edge of the film will contact these guides.

1''he film I9 is pushed forward until it is substantiallywithin the area of the cut film holder and theprocess repeated until all of the films to be developed are inserted in the cut film holder or the cut'film holder is fully loaded. It can thus be seen that, because of the shape of the channel guide members 3 and III which are projected one on the other and are shallow, no portion of the film bearing the image will come in contact with or rub against portions of the film holder. After the film has been inserted in the film holder in a dark room the film holder may be loaded into the tank 2| and the cover 23 placed thereon. After the, cover has been placed on the tank the remainder of the developing, fixing and washing of the film may be carried out in the light.

After the film. has been developed, fixed and I washed the film holder may be removed from the tank and the films taken out of the film holder for printing.

'Thus, I have provided a film holder which will carry out a new principle in developing films. This feature being the placing of a plurality of photographic negatives in such a position that each forms a part of a spiral, with the corresponding ends of the negatives adjacent each .In this manner the negatives form a series of spirals. emanating from substantially the same point. The negatives are spaced apart, permitting circulation of various liquors. In addition, because the negatives are bent to form portions of spirals emanating from substantially common points and projected in the same direction', a minimum amount of space is occupied, or conversely a maximum number of spaced negatives are included in a given amount of space, with the minimum area in contact with a support and the maximum area exposable to developing liquors.

While I have described the film holde'r'as being particularly adapted to be used'in conjunction with a-tank 2|, it may be used in any tank or manner known to the art. To this end I have provided plates 2 and 9. If it is desired,

the film holder may be placed on a rod and placed in a tank such as is customary in the art.

Whether the cut film holder is used with an individual, specially adapted tank or in other tanks, it is obvious that I have provided by this construction a cut film holder which is compact, simple in construction and very easily loaded.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cut film holder for developing photographic film, comprising end plates, members connecting said end plates, guide members on the opposing faces of said end plates, additional guide members intermediate said end plates atfixed to said connecting members, said first guide members comprising superposed spirals adapted to guide photographic film when inserted in said guide members to form parts of spirals with said films engaged only along their horizontal edges by said first guide members and touching said second guide members adjacent the leading edge of each film.

2. A cut film holder for holding out photographic films comprising a plurality of spirally shaped U channels mounted in two diiferent and superposed planes, members connecting the U shaped channel members in one Plane to the members in the other plane and in opposition thereto, additional guide members intermediate said first guide member, said first guide members adapted to engage the longitudinal edges of films when inserted in said filmholder and said intermediate guide members adapted to engage a vertical edge of said film.

3. A cut film holder comprising a plurality of guides forming channels for holding the top and bottom edges of photographic films, members connecting said guide and an intermediate guide disposed slightly out of alignment with said first guides and engageable with a third edge of said films 4. A film holder for developing photographic films, comprising spaced, juxtaposed, perforate end plates, members adjustably connecting said end plates, spiral guide members attached to said connecting members intermediate their ends, additional spiral guide members on opposing faces of said end plates, said guide members on said end plates being in substantial registry with each other and out of registry with said intermediate guide members, one of said end plates being fixedly attached to said connecting members, the second of said end plates being movable on said connecting members toward and away from said other end plate, and means on said second end plate for releasably engaging at least one of said connecting members.

5. A cut film holder comprising a plurality of frame members, arcuate guides thereon, means connecting said frame members in substantially paralleled relation, the distance between said frame members being adjustable by relative movement of said frame members on the'con-' necting members, said frame members an'dsaid arcuate guide members adapted to support cut films in arcuate condition, additional guide members intermediate the said first main guides and having adifierent curvature therefrom whereby they will engage the leading edge only of said cut films for guiding said films into said film holden.

I-HNSDALE SMITH. JR. 

